Some composite parts are fabricated by combining a plurality of pieces of composite material with the pieces of composite material being subjected to a combination of heat and pressure in order to consolidate the pieces of composite material into an integral composite part. For example, some composite parts utilized by aircraft, such as the window trim of aircraft, may be fabricated from a plurality of pieces of composite material that are combined into an integral composite part.
By way of example, the plurality of pieces of composite material that are combined to form the window trim of an aircraft may be cut from a supply of composite material. In this regard, a sheet of composite material, such as may be provided in the form of a roll, may be provided to a cutter, such as by advancing the sheet of composite material along a conveyer system. The cutter may then cut pieces of composite material from the sheet of composite material. These pieces of composite material need not have the same size and shape as the resulting composite part, but may be smaller and differently shaped, such as smaller rectangular pieces of composite material. The pieces of composite material may then be placed in a form, such as a tray, having the shape of the resulting composite part prior to consolidation.
Composite parts often times are required to be fabricated to within relatively precise weight requirements, such as to provide the desired structural integrity and strength without unnecessarily adding to the weight of the assembled structure. Thus, the plurality of pieces that are placed in the tray may be weighed. In an instance in which the plurality of pieces of composite material do not weigh enough, such as by failing to satisfy a minimum weight requirement of the resulting composite part, one or more additional pieces of composite material may be added to the tray and the plurality of pieces of composite material may again be weighed. This process may be repeated until the plurality of pieces of composite material placed within the tray satisfy the predefined weight requirements of the resulting composite part. Alternatively, in an instance in which the plurality of pieces of composite material placed within the tray exceed the maximum weight requirement of the resulting composite part, one or more pieces of composite material may be removed from the tray and the plurality of pieces of composite material that remain within the tray may then again be weighed. As before, this process may be repeated until the plurality of pieces of composite material that remain within the tray satisfy the predefined weight requirements of the resulting composite part.
Once the plurality of pieces of composite material within the tray satisfy the predefined weight requirement, the plurality of pieces of composite material may be subjected to a combination of heat and pressure in order to consolidate the plurality of pieces of composite material, thereby forming the resulting composite part. However, the process of weighing the plurality of pieces of composite material within the tray and then adding or removing pieces of composite material prior to again weighing the plurality of pieces of composite material within the tray in an effort to satisfy the predefined weight requirements of the resulting composite part may be time consuming and may reduce the efficiency and increase the costs associated with the manufacture of the composite part.